November 17,
2015
Have you ever had a wardrobe
malfunction like losing your bathing suit to a relentless wave at the beach? Or
have you ever gone through an entire dinner party with spinach in your teeth
and no one told you? One time I was walking across the church during
Confirmation mass with a packed house, of course, and my wedge heel toppled and
I fell down for everyone to see. There is the proverbial toilet paper trailing
behind someone right after they exit the bathroom. Ladies have been known to
get their skirts wadded up in their panty hose exposing their backsides. And
the iconic picture of Marilyn Monroe in her stunning white dress standing over
a street vent makes that embarrassing moment seem so glamorous and classy. You’re
probably wondering where the heck I’m going with all of this. Today’s gospel
has a potentially embarrassing moment in it that grabbed my attention and made
me really love the kind of friend that Jesus is.
It’s the classic story of the
short rich guy named Zacchaeus. I get a chuckle out of the fact that everyone
to ever read this story in all of history knows that Zacchaeus was short. I
wonder how short exactly and I just picture Danny DeVito always. I also picture
Zacchaeus having Danny DeVito’s tenacity because the first thing we know about
him is that he was bound and determined to get a look at this famous guy named
Jesus. The
narrative says, “he
ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus.” My Bible Study
teacher, Kevin Saunders, says that Middle Eastern men absolutely did NOT run
especially wealthy ones. So right away we know that Zacchaeus was bold, and his
next move proves it! He climbs a tree, which is another thing that Middle
Eastern men would never do!! Can you take a guess as to why Middle Eastern men
did not climb trees??? Yep, like an authentic Scotsman, there is nothing
underneath that kilt or, in Zacchaeus’ case, that tunic. He was giving the
crowd a commando performance! Just keeping it real people. Zacchaeus was willing
to let it all hang out there just to get a glimpse of Jesus (I know it’s cheesy
but I couldn’t resist)!
I
can just picture Jesus’ attention being pulled by all the people pointing up
and mocking poor foolish little Danny DeVito Zacchaeus in a tree! Jesus’ heart immediately
went out to him. He’s the friend that would tell you about the spinach in your
teeth or take the “kick me” sign off of your back. It says that, “Jesus looked
up and said, ‘Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.’”
Let’s focus on the fact that “Jesus looked up”!! He probably looked up and
thought, “Awe nuts!! Zacchaeus, get down here right now! Put that thing away! No
one needs to see that! What were you thinking???” But, instead he honors
Zacchaeus in this shameful situation by choosing to dine with him in his home.
You might think I am going out on a limb (hee hee, the pun) with this commando
performance scenario, but I do think there is some validity to it. Jesus saw
that Zacchaeus was being mocked and ridiculed (he was also the chief tax
collector – boo, hiss, boo, hiss!), when all he wanted was to merely see Jesus,
and Jesus in turn made a sincere effort to go to him and to invite himself into
his home and more intimately into his life. Jesus doesn’t need much to draw his
heart towards ours and sometimes it might even be our foolishness that gets his
attention where his compassionate spirit moves in immediately to save us from disgrace.
You see it does go deeper than just an indecent exposure. Zacchaeus not only
exposed his junk, he exposed his heart, and Jesus could not help but to
befriend him. I am convinced that Jesus’ whole interaction with Danny DeVito in
the tree that day was done with a huge smile on his face because he delights in
us most especially when we are willing to put ourselves completely out there,
exposed and vulnerable, for his sake.
Because
Jesus treated Zacchaeus with complete dignity in an undignified situation, he
was willing to respond accordingly, "But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, ‘Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the
poor, and if I have extorted
anything from anyone I shall repay it four times
over.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.’” Jesus wants to save us, he
wants to find us and for us to find him. He’s willing to meet us in any
situation if we but try to see him. Let’s not let our weak or short stature deter
us from looking for Jesus and welcoming him into our home.
I
am sure the Zacchaeus story was a family favorite for years to come in both
Zacchaeus’ household (“Hey remember the time dad climbed a tree and flashed the
Savior of the World?!!!!”) as well as among Jesus’ disciples (“Hey remember the
time when Jesus pulled the nut job Zacchaeus out of the tree?!!!!”). Jesus
wants your exposed heart today and every day so that he can come and dwell
there as your true friend who delights in you.
P.S.
When I did an Internet search to find out the correct spelling for Danny
DeVito, I learned that today is his birthday!! How funny is that?
Memorial of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious
Lectionary: 498
Reading 1 2 MC 6:18-31
Eleazar, one of the foremost scribes,
a man of advanced age and noble appearance,
was being forced to open his mouth to eat pork.
But preferring a glorious death to a life of defilement,
he spat out the meat,
and went forward of his own accord to the instrument of torture,
as people ought to do who have the courage to reject the food
which it is unlawful to taste even for love of life.
Those in charge of that unlawful ritual meal took the man aside privately,
because of their long acquaintance with him,
and urged him to bring meat of his own providing,
such as he could legitimately eat,
and to pretend to be eating some of the meat of the sacrifice
prescribed by the king;
in this way he would escape the death penalty,
and be treated kindly because of their old friendship with him.
But Eleazar made up his mind in a noble manner,
worthy of his years, the dignity of his advanced age,
the merited distinction of his gray hair,
and of the admirable life he had lived from childhood;
and so he declared that above all
he would be loyal to the holy laws given by God.
He told them to send him at once
to the abode of the dead, explaining:
“At our age it would be unbecoming to make such a pretense;
many young people would think the ninety-year-old Eleazar
had gone over to an alien religion.
Should I thus pretend for the sake of a brief moment of life,
they would be led astray by me,
while I would bring shame and dishonor on my old age.
Even if, for the time being, I avoid the punishment of men,
I shall never, whether alive or dead,
escape the hands of the Almighty.
Therefore, by manfully giving up my life now,
I will prove myself worthy of my old age,
and I will leave to the young a noble example
of how to die willingly and generously
for the revered and holy laws.”
Eleazar spoke thus,
and went immediately to the instrument of torture.
Those who shortly before had been kindly disposed,
now became hostile toward him because what he had said
seemed to them utter madness.
When he was about to die under the blows,
he groaned and said:
“The Lord in his holy knowledge knows full well that,
although I could have escaped death,
I am not only enduring terrible pain in my body from this scourging,
but also suffering it with joy in my soul
because of my devotion to him.”
This is how he died,
leaving in his death a model of courage
and an unforgettable example of virtue
not only for the young but for the whole nation.
a man of advanced age and noble appearance,
was being forced to open his mouth to eat pork.
But preferring a glorious death to a life of defilement,
he spat out the meat,
and went forward of his own accord to the instrument of torture,
as people ought to do who have the courage to reject the food
which it is unlawful to taste even for love of life.
Those in charge of that unlawful ritual meal took the man aside privately,
because of their long acquaintance with him,
and urged him to bring meat of his own providing,
such as he could legitimately eat,
and to pretend to be eating some of the meat of the sacrifice
prescribed by the king;
in this way he would escape the death penalty,
and be treated kindly because of their old friendship with him.
But Eleazar made up his mind in a noble manner,
worthy of his years, the dignity of his advanced age,
the merited distinction of his gray hair,
and of the admirable life he had lived from childhood;
and so he declared that above all
he would be loyal to the holy laws given by God.
He told them to send him at once
to the abode of the dead, explaining:
“At our age it would be unbecoming to make such a pretense;
many young people would think the ninety-year-old Eleazar
had gone over to an alien religion.
Should I thus pretend for the sake of a brief moment of life,
they would be led astray by me,
while I would bring shame and dishonor on my old age.
Even if, for the time being, I avoid the punishment of men,
I shall never, whether alive or dead,
escape the hands of the Almighty.
Therefore, by manfully giving up my life now,
I will prove myself worthy of my old age,
and I will leave to the young a noble example
of how to die willingly and generously
for the revered and holy laws.”
Eleazar spoke thus,
and went immediately to the instrument of torture.
Those who shortly before had been kindly disposed,
now became hostile toward him because what he had said
seemed to them utter madness.
When he was about to die under the blows,
he groaned and said:
“The Lord in his holy knowledge knows full well that,
although I could have escaped death,
I am not only enduring terrible pain in my body from this scourging,
but also suffering it with joy in my soul
because of my devotion to him.”
This is how he died,
leaving in his death a model of courage
and an unforgettable example of virtue
not only for the young but for the whole nation.
Responsorial Psalm PS 3:2-3, 4-5, 6-7
R. (6b) The Lord upholds me.
O LORD, how many are my adversaries!
Many rise up against me!
Many are saying of me,
“There is no salvation for him in God.”
R. The Lord upholds me.
But you, O LORD, are my shield;
my glory, you lift up my head!
When I call out to the LORD,
he answers me from his holy mountain.
R. The Lord upholds me.
When I lie down in sleep,
I wake again, for the LORD sustains me.
I fear not the myriads of people
arrayed against me on every side.
R. The Lord upholds me.
God loved us, and sent his Son
as expiation for our sins.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
O LORD, how many are my adversaries!
Many rise up against me!
Many are saying of me,
“There is no salvation for him in God.”
R. The Lord upholds me.
But you, O LORD, are my shield;
my glory, you lift up my head!
When I call out to the LORD,
he answers me from his holy mountain.
R. The Lord upholds me.
When I lie down in sleep,
I wake again, for the LORD sustains me.
I fear not the myriads of people
arrayed against me on every side.
R. The Lord upholds me.
Alleluia 1 JN 4:10B
R. Alleluia, alleluia.God loved us, and sent his Son
as expiation for our sins.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel LK 19:1-10
At that time Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town.
Now a man there named Zacchaeus,
who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man,
was seeking to see who Jesus was;
but he could not see him because of the crowd,
for he was short in stature.
So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus,
who was about to pass that way.
When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said,
“Zacchaeus, come down quickly,
for today I must stay at your house.”
And he came down quickly and received him with joy.
When they saw this, they began to grumble, saying,
“He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner.”
But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord,
“Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor,
and if I have extorted anything from anyone
I shall repay it four times over.”
And Jesus said to him,
“Today salvation has come to this house
because this man too is a descendant of Abraham.
For the Son of Man has come to seek
and to save what was lost.”
Now a man there named Zacchaeus,
who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man,
was seeking to see who Jesus was;
but he could not see him because of the crowd,
for he was short in stature.
So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus,
who was about to pass that way.
When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said,
“Zacchaeus, come down quickly,
for today I must stay at your house.”
And he came down quickly and received him with joy.
When they saw this, they began to grumble, saying,
“He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner.”
But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord,
“Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor,
and if I have extorted anything from anyone
I shall repay it four times over.”
And Jesus said to him,
“Today salvation has come to this house
because this man too is a descendant of Abraham.
For the Son of Man has come to seek
and to save what was lost.”
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